


Poor Rickless Bastards

by heymeatbag



Category: Pocket Mortys, Rick and Morty
Genre: A little before the episode, Before Pocket Mortys, Episode: s01e10 Close Rick-Counters of the Rick Kind, Gen, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-06-10 18:08:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6968302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heymeatbag/pseuds/heymeatbag
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a successful adventure takes the turn for the worst, Morticia finds herself in the Rickless Morty program. However, Mortys as rare as her are difficult to place. In order to prove herself worthy of another Rick, she accepts a special assignment from the Council of great importance. Setting out to uncover the truth of the mass Rick-icides as only a Morticia can, she will uncover the most significant discovery of the Finite Central Curve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rick and Mort-ality

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's my first ever fanfic! As of now, I am not sure how long this will be, but I will be attempting to tie in a lot of fan theories and canon episodes into this. Warning tags will update as needed. Yes, that chapter name is cheesy.

The air in the room was humid, leaving condensation on the grungy metal walls. Steam hissed out into the almost pitch black room, smelling like sweaty socks and spoiled milk. Morty used the bottom of her shirt to wipe her face, lamenting the itchy rubbing of underwear on her skin and the tickle of sweat. Hair falling from her messy bun, her headband askew, she was barely able to keep from shaking. Heaving in the thick air, Morty stood by the doorway of the room with Rick’s blaster in hand. From down the hall the unmistakable scrape of metal echoed off the corridor.

With a groan and shriek a pipe burst a few feet away. Morty bit down a shriek, dropping the blaster in her panic. It clattered loudly to the floor.

“M-Morty!” Rick hissed, “I told you to watch the door, not –urp- not tell the Gorlaxians where we are! If I knew you were going to be Miss Butterfingers-”

“Yeah, yeah, Rick, I got it. God, sorry,” she countered, bending down to pick up the blaster and give Rick a vicious glare. “Those Gurla-’

“Gorlaxians!”

“Gorlaxians give me the fucking creeps, you know? Like, how do they even do anything with that many tentacles?” she shuddered. Rick turned back to the console he had been rewiring, buttons flashing as hardware was rerouted. With one last smack of his hand, Rick illuminated the screen to show a stream of alien symbols. After seeing so many alien dialects, Morty couldn’t help but wonder how Rick could read them all.

“Is this about th-OUUGH-t porn you watch, with the tentacles?”

“RICK!”

“Keep it DOWN, Morty! What, you think no one notices those noises late at night coming from your room? H-How about you learn to use some headphones, eh, MORTY?” Rick turned around long enough to sneer at her over his bony shoulder. Plugging in a device the size of an ear bud, a countdown started on the screen.

Despite the smothering air, Morty felt her cheeks burn as she twisted her loose hair in her hand, an indignant burn in her belly. She watched as Rick collected the device and proceeded towards the door. “Th-those shows aren’t even in English, Rick! How would you, how could you even-”

“That maaaay be true, but you don’t need subtitles to understand all those r-ugh-nchy sounds,” Rick stated, wiggling his eyebrow at Morty as he took the blaster from her hand. Crossing her arms haughtily, she pursed her lips into a flustered scowl, earning a chuckle and hair ruffle from the taller man.

A squelching noise followed by more scraping of metal caught both their attentions. Finger over his mouth, Rick motioned out the door. Morty, while still determined to put up a fuss, went along if only for the fact that she didn’t want to end up being part of a tentacle porno. Just as they made it out the door, a screeching-hiss echoed chillingly off the walls. Hair standing on end, the young teen was glued to the spot until Rick grabbed her arm and high tailed it down the hall.

“ _This is why my doctor told me I have loose shoulder muscles_ ,” she mused as she was dragged by her arm towards a cargo bay, initial shock numbing her. Somewhere, far off, she thought she heard Rick talking. However, a small “Wh-what?” was all that she could muster.

“I-I just got done telling you, Morty! We need to, we have to steal a ship,” the old man belted out as he ran towards a rust colored transport ship, young girl still firm in his grasp.

“O-oh”, was all she managed back.

“Get your head in the game, dawg! I need you to go in the ship and find a button labelled ‘Yggurelt’.”

“HUH?”

“It’ll be purple, Morty, PURPLE! You can do this. I-I gotta unlock the energy field blocking the, the thing, the doors” he gestured as he tossed Morty towards the ship and ran towards a panel a ways away.

Falling to the floor with a soft thud, she scrambled to her feet, and stumbled towards the loading door of the ship. Deep in her gut she prayed there wouldn’t be any tentacles waiting for her inside.

Scurrying up the ramp, she let out a relieved sigh. No tentacles in sight. The control panel was situated in front of 4 passenger seats and what suspiciously looked like the reverse of a manual drive stick. Instead, it had holes for tentacles to activate, and was more vagina-like. Quietly musing that “ _At least it doesn’t look phallic like most things in space_ ”, she walked up to the dash only to see there were 4 different purple buttons. Letting out a tired moan, Morty scrunched up her eyes to read the fine writing underneath each one. It was in the Milkyway’s common script, which had symbols that represented almost human noises. Rick had pushed her to study the basics of its alphabet and sounds when she was 13. “ _It’s your home galaxy’s alphabet, at -blurp- at least try to be literate by galactic standards!_ ” However, she wasn’t confident enough in her ability to read a whole word like eeyyggg-whatever it was.

Rick’s words danced around in her mind, “ _You can do this_ ”. Taking a deep breath, she scooted closer to the console, thought she saw the “Yg” sound listed first in a word, and pressed the button. A green energy laser promptly fired straight into a pile of crates and set off an explosion so large it pushed the nose of the ship in the air for a few seconds. While losing her balance, the girl’s grasping hands fell onto a switch which promptly caused the ion engine to hum to life. Seconds later, Rick ran up the ramp, clapping her proudly on the back before jumping into a seat.

“That-That’s my girl! Engines on like I asked, and something a little extra. You reaaally got grandpa’s flair for big distr-auggh-tions.”

“Yeah! Yeah, totally, you-you… your lessons really paid off, Rick,” she stammered out as she looked under her hand to find a red button with what she thought had the label “splooko” on it.

“Of COURSE they did, MORTY! You’re, you have the best teacher in the all the multiverse,” he gestured widely with his hand as he swiftly pressed buttons with the other. Back door closing, they sped out of the hangar just as red blaster started pelting the side of their ship. Turbo boosting as fast as the ship would take them, Rick slowly counted down as he observed one of his many watches.

All Morty could hear was a quiet “3…2…1” before a blast so fierce it dazzled her eyes and jarred her bones, pushing the ship faster and away from what was left of the Gorlaxian trade ship.

 

“What’d I tell you, Mort? The-These trade dossiers will get us a couple million Flurbos for the next TWO YEARS BABAY,” Rick had started his victory monologue about 5 light years back, and Morty had taken to gazing out the window and feeding him token phrases about 10 minutes in. A faint buzzing noise reverberated softly around the cabin.

“Uh-huh, yeah, that was really something, Rick,” she replied distractedly as her eyes followed a comet passing by.

“You still pissed ab-ouuugh-t the tentacle porn thing? Cause, you know, that stuff is pretty vanilla compared to a Flopiloo’s idea of sex, trust me.”

Jolting in surprise at the change of conversation, Morty looked over at her grandfather with a playfully quizzical look. “Is that talking from personal experience?” she quipped, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, I’m not saying I HAVEN’T done the dirty deed with a sludge monster that uses its feces for-”

“Whoa, whoa, ok, thanks! I think I got it” the teen frantically exclaimed, earning a laugh from the older man. They were both quiet for a time, Rick basking in a job well done and Morty wondering if Rick will rat her out to parents, or worse, SUMMER. She would never hear the end of it! The drone of the cabin was not soothing enough for her to push her worry away. She took her hair out of its bun, and twisted its mass between her hands. She steeled herself for the expected sneering and needling before sneaking a glance.

“Hey, Rick?” Her grandfather looked over with mild interest. “You’re not gonna tell anyone about the… the porn, right?”

An amused guffaw interrupted by a burp erupted from the man. “Mort-Morty, you think I give a shit about you rubbing one out to-to unrealistic animated porn? I have better things to do than worry about your taste in amateur hour smut” he explained, waving away the thought with his last statement. “You know what one of those better things are, though, Morty? Do you?” He looked over wild eyed and excited. She shook her head. “A shopping spree at dimension S-6126’s multi-dimensionally famous sweet shoppp! We –urp- we can get some of those Pulos that you like so much, ehhh?”

“R-really, Rick?! We haven’t gone there since I was 12,” Morty asked, hopeful wide brown eyes gazing at her grandfather.

“Hell yeahhhh! I say we’ve earned it after sweating our balls off in that heap of junk.” Rick aimed the portal gun in front of the ship and shot a portal a ways ahead. The buzzing noise got louder.

“Rick, what’s that noise?”

“Prob-ugghh-bly just the ion engine reacting to the portal. Just focus on the thought of those sweeeet Pulos, Morty,” he explained as he continued towards the portal he’d made. However, the buzzing continued to increase with the approach of the portal, giving Rick pause. With a grumble, the older man stopped short, letting the portal close. Still, the buzzing increased. “Did you get the chance to scan the side compartment at all?”

“There’s a side compartment?”

With a swig from his flask, Rick made a show of standing up and walking over to a door Morty hadn’t noticed on the way in. She quietly followed him. A utility closet or bathroom was most common among ships like this, Morty mused, perhaps something was vibrating with the rumble of the engines? Yet, upon opening the door Rick’s face flashed with surprise. Inside, a small cube the size of a toaster sat, glowing blue and buzzing with an ear piercing intensity the door had previously muffled. As Rick approached, the edges of the cube opened up to reveal a blinding gold glow.

Abruptly, time seemed to slow. Morty saw Rick look at her with genuine fear in his eyes, mouth opening to shout. Raising his arm, he shot a portal behind her and pushed. She felt the heat of the cube as it started to release its energy, and could only see the silhouette of Rick against the blinding light. All she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. Falling through the portal, Morty saw flashes of Rick falling towards her, only to be eclipsed by the light.

She landed hard on the ground of the Smith garage, winded. As the portal closed it released a blast, sending items flying from their shelves. She felt a liquid splatter her front while her heart raced. Gasping for breath, her vision slowly returned. The first thing she saw was Rick. Not all of Rick, half of him was missing. Rick’s face starting emptily up at her, oozing blood, his skull collapsed inwards. She looked down at herself. Red.

Numbness; cold hands clawing at her heart, rolling through her stomach, constricting her throat. Mind clouded. Can’t breathe. The world began to shake. Someone was screaming. Hands pulling her down. Darkness.


	2. Siblings and Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst, sadness, and feisty teenagers. Some humor sprinkled in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a while since I changed my mind three different times on how I wanted this to play out.

Muffled sounds slowly filter into a weightless abyss, as if deep underwater. A sense of rocking interrupted by a steady jostle created a soothing rhythm. She wanted to stay there forever. She wanted to feel the safe emptiness and pulse of this starless void. Something… something grasped at the edge of her mind. What was it?

Slowly, the background echoes approached, growing louder, clearer. Crying and… shouting? This had to do with… what again? A part of Morty struggled to remember, but… the twilight expanse was so calming. Continuing to soak in her semi-existence, she floated in nothing until she could no longer ignore the shrill sounds surrounding her. Inescapable, they tore the teen from her respite, bringing flashes of too bright light, and a dizzying uncertainty. Someone was holding her, rocking her as she curled into them.

As her eyes opened, a suffocating weight settled on her chest. Her face was close to red hair, sticky and wet in places with a dark substance. Iciness fastened quick to her gut, and she felt nausea wave over her as the smell of blood threatened to suffocate.

Flashes. Intestine spilling out from underneath what was once a pristine white coat. A familiar face, cold and blank, bone and tissues splayed around. Blood… oh, god, the blood. It was… there was too much, impossibly much, for just one human… wasn’t there?

Blinking slowly, Morty turned her head. Her heart promised to break free from her chest as she hoped what every fiber of her being knew what was there, wasn’t.

Yet, there he was. Tears pricked her eyes as her lip wobbled, her entire body shaking like a leaf. Someone had placed a sheet from the laundry over him, but it didn’t stop the blood from oozing through, from Morty seeing all of the details seared into her mind. A sob escaped her as tears streamed uncontrollably down the young girl’s face. She heard her mother weeping hysterically somewhere nearby.

The person holding her made a soft noise, “Don’t look, i-it’s better if you…” shakes, “…if you just d-d-don’t look.”

“S-s-sUM-merr, h-he… I-”

“I know *sniff* I kn-know, Morty. Just… just-” Summer went quiet. She could feel her older sister sobbing silently, and snuggled closer. Wrapping her arms around her, Morty buried her face into Summer’s neck and wailed. She shook with every whimper, every howl, and together they clung together for what felt like hours.

 

 

By the time the paramedics came to collect the body, Morty felt hollow. Both of them still held each other, not willing to part, shivering from the garage floor. Jerry started to gag audibly when the sheet was removed and the body transferred to a bag. Frantic screaming from Beth caused him to retreat into the house. However, as the EMTs started to pack up, he snuck out to ask how one cleans up this much blood and if he was going to have to pay for a cleaning service. Beth went insane. He was banned to the basement until further notice.

The two teens eventually, tenderly, got up from the floor. Morty felt the world spin, and nausea return in full force. She got as far as the hallway before she had to dart into the bathroom. Images flashed before her eyes while blood still stunk heavily in her nose. She heaved over the toilet. A moment of respite allowed her to look at her hands. Morty quivered as she saw blood coating her arms. It made her creases stick together. Some of it had started to dry and flake off. Standing shakily, she turned to look at herself in the mirror, but was forced over the toilet again as she dry heaved. Her entire front was caked in her grandfather’s blood; tears had smudged some of it away from her cheeks. She ran her hands through her hair as she fought with herself over the porcelain. The teen’s hair stuck in pieces, wherever wasn’t congealed and gummy crunched under her hands.

When she could finally control herself, she stood again, making sure to avoid the mirror. Morty debated whether to start the bath. The willpower she possessed was quickly waning, and quietly she decided it was not enough to take her upstairs to the shower. She reached out a trembling hand to send scorching water pouring from the facet. This would have to be enough for now.

Curling up besides the bath, she listened to the thrumming of the water until the tub was almost overflowing. Willing herself onto her feet, she sank into the bath, her skin burning so painful it turned bright red. The seething heat of the water was a welcome distraction. Mechanically, she scrubbed her body.

Loud sobs echoed off the walls as the water turned darker. Draining, filling, scrubbing; the water no longer ran hot after a while. She felt eternity pass until the water remained clear. Draining the tub, Morty sat shivering. With the last of her strength, she dried. Leaving her bloody clothes on the floor, she listlessly climbed the stairs to bed.

 

 

Rick called out to her from beyond a blinding light. Desperately, she tried to find him, searching but unable to see. The further she walked, the more her skin burned with the heat of the light. Until, with a metallic smell and the sound of bubbling, her skin started to melt, leaving pools of blood in her wake. Crying out for help, she found a door and hurriedly rushed through. A room of mirrors surrounded her. Staring back at her was an old man. Rick. His flesh melted, eyes fell from their sockets, and limbs tore off from their own weight.

The ghoulish eyes stared straight into Morty, letting out a cry of agony before shouting, “WHY, WHY DID YOU KILL ME, MORTY! WHY COULDN’T IT HAVE BEEN YOU?” An inhuman shrieking echoed off the walls. Morty woke with a muffled cry, her body soaked in cold sweat with tears stinging her eyes. Her nightmares were always the same lately. She didn’t need a psychiatrist to understand what they meant, to see that she blamed herself for what her family repeatedly told her was inevitable. Whenever she walked into a room, the stony faces of Summer and Mom said far more. Morty wasn’t sure if they were trying to convince her or themselves that she was without fault.

It had only been a week since Rick’s death. The Smith family had taken a few weeks off to mourn, but to Morty it seemed to only make things worse. Without Rick or school she had no place to go.  The house did nothing but bring back the raw pain. His room, the garage, even the dining and living rooms all suffocated with fond memories and gory images.

There was only one thing she found safe from the violent flashbacks and depthless ache of loss; Rick’s portal gun. The familiar device had become a security item. It was next to her while she slept, green glow illuminated the dark space of her room. During the day she would carry it in a light blue purse Summer had given her a few years ago so she “could carry more on adventures”. How ironic, she mused, that she would only come to use it after Rick’s death.

The young girl took comfort in the idea that the option to leave was constantly there. She would not survive on her own, she knew. More than once Morty had to convince herself not to try finding Uncles Squanchy and Birdperson, not that she even knew where they were. Even without contacting them she felt them might already know about Rick.

Drawing herself out of her reveries, the teen looked around her room. Soft early morning light filtered through the tiny window on the opposite wall. Limbs heavy, Morty drew herself out of bed.

“ _There’s no point trying to sleep any more today_ ,” the all too familiar thought traipsed around her mind. She shuffled to the bathroom in the hall. Teeth brushed, showered, hair brushed, headband. Morty returned to her room, turning around to softly shut the door. The girl was halfway across the space when the familiar sound of a portal fizzing into her plane of existence sent a jolt of adrenaline through her. Without a moment’s hesitation, she dove for her closet, frantically shutting the door.

She had heard of others coming to collect rare Mortys after their Rick had died. Rick had often warned her of the dangers faced by Mortys born with two X chromosomes, in graphic detail. There would always be a demand for Morticia Smiths on the black market. Truth be told, though, she never believed such incidents would be something she would experience.

Her heart pounding erratically, she watched through the slats in the door. Two figures stepped out of the portal, a Rick and male Morty.

“ _What was his full name again? Oh, yeah. MORTIMER. He sounds like he should be older than Rick with that sort of name.”_ If she hadn’t been hiding, Morty would have giggled. At least her name was well known from the Addams Family, and not just something from the early 20 th century.

Each was dressed in the same uniform of gold, white, and black. Brooches with an “R” attached to a retro-scifi shape adorned their outfits. Swallowing nervously, Morty glimpsed guns holstered to their backs. If they were military they were sure to have concealed additional weapons as well.

After a quick glimpse around, the Rick picked up the portal gun from the nightstand, nodding in satisfaction.

“ _SHIT_ ,” Morty cursed at herself. She had forgotten about it in her panic.

Pocketing the device, Rick cleared his throat. “M-Morty, give me the basics of the profile we were sent. I don’t want a repeat of last year’s twin incident.”

“Aw, geez, Rick! W-When are you gonna stop busting my balls over that, huh? It was one time!” the Morty whined.

“One time too many, MORTY! Now read m-me, read me the profile!” the Rick snarled back.

“Ugh, FINE,” he conceded, taking a circular object out of his pocket and projecting a hologram. “Our t-target is 14 years, female. She goes by Morticia Smith. Morticia? What kind of name is-”

“Just read me the rest, you little twerp!”

He sighed, “Ok, well, her Rick passed about a week ago. Her divergence from the Central Curve is insanely rare. It says here that - that the Rick never brought her along with him for Council business. Very few recorded interactions with other dimension Ricks and Mortys. W-We should expect the family to be hostile to any sort of threat and without any knowledge of their Rick’s affiliation with the Council.” As he finished, he shut off the device, and turned to face his Rick.

“Alright, if what – what the profile says is true, she’ll be on high alert. We want to keep interactions with the family to a minimum, Morty. You hear me? Minimum! There are only two of us, and four m-mourning family members. I am – I’m sure you’ve been doing this long enough to understand how dangerous they can get.”

“B-but Rick, how do you know she’s even knows we’re here?”  
            Rick sat down on her bed, “Look, Morty, I-I know you little shits well enough to know you don’t wake up before noon most days. Her bed is empty, and I’ll bet you 50 Council Credits that the sheets behind me are still warm.” He grinned slyly.

The Morty rolled his eyes, arms crossed. “Fine, but the – but with the portal gun secured she shouldn’t be far off, right?”

“Bingo! Let’s get the –urph– the air density monitor fired up. Get -aaugh-ll Alien up in this bitch.” Both Mortys rolled their eyes.

“Why do you - you always say that when we the monitor out?!” the Morty demanded haughtily, his hands clenched in irritation. Rick ignored the irate teen as he stood up and fished a device out of his coat. It was rectangular with a screen that took up most of the front surface, and a handle on the end. With a flip of a switch a faint beeping filled the small space. Morty’s heart picked up again as both of the uniformed figures scanned her room. She wondered if the device would be sensitive enough to pick up on it.

As if answering her question, Rick stopped dead when he pointed the monitor at her location. The device beeped rapidly in time with her heart. Panic intensifying, she looked down at herself. Still in her pajamas, all she had on were some old blue track shorts and a white tank top. Morty quickly looked around the closet, determined to find a makeshift weapon. Picking up a tennis racket Jerry’s parents had given her last Christmas, she readied herself as they approached the door.

The Morty and his Rick stopped a few feet short, glanced at each other, and nodded. Rick carefully handed the monitor to his Morty, and wielded his gun. After fiddling with some settings on the side, he motioned his Morty forward. Morty readied her muscles, ready to spring on whoever was in racket range. With a steadying breath, the other Morty reached for the handle and yanked the closet open.

She was almost proud of herself at how fast she reacted. With her racket in hand she swung into the side of the Morty’s head, catching him with the hard metal side. She heard a shout followed by a blaster fire, and rolled past the dazed Morty and grabbed him from behind. Grip pressed into his throat, she now had a shield and hostage. The girl looked over at Rick with defiance burning in her eyes.

Rick let out a low whistle, and holstered his weapon so he could clap his hands, “I-Impressive. For not having any balls, you sure have more than – than most Mortys. Now, before w-we go any further I think we should explain.”

“W-what, so I can get caught up in some bullshit story made by some sick Rick and Morty trying to make some quick money?! As if!” she ground out through her teeth. The other Morty whimpered as she tightened her grip.

“P-urrh-lease, we’re here for the exactly NOT that. Besides, i-it’s not like we could get away with selling you off. Management rides our asses too hard,” he gestures vaguely with one hand. “W-we have an order from the Council of Ricks to take you into protective custody until you can be given a new guardian. If you let that pain in my ass go he can show you the offi -”

“A new Rick?! Who are – Who do you think you are -”

“Yeah, yeah, I-I’ve heard this thousands of times. Like I said, let the squirt go and we’ll show you. D-Don’t make me stun that feisty ass of yours.”

“Here to protect, swear,” rasped out the other Morty.

She fixed a stern gaze on the Rick, regarding him cautiously, “I’ll let him go, but only if you – you keep the gun holstered.”

The Rick rolled his eyes, “HAH, like a tennis racket has any lethal p-uurrh-suasion.”

 “Riiiiccckkkkk,” whined his Morty pathetically.

“M-Maybe you should as her to donate you some stones, Morty. You’ll embarrass yourself less,” He mocked. Making eye contact with her, he sighed. “Alright, nooooo guns. Unless, of c-course, you pull a fast one,” Rick agreed, eyeing her up and down. “Either way,” he shrugged, “you’re going to have to come with us.”

Watchful of the two, she slowly released the other Morty. He gave a slight cough and a pouting look at no one in particular, but otherwise made no move to grab her. Hastily stepping up next to his own Rick, he pulled out the circular device again and pressed a button. The device was slid over to her where she, leery, picked it up. A document floated in front of her face. Summaries of her life with her Rick, student status, medical history, and last known dimension of residence flashed past her face. Scrolling down to the bottom, a contract caught her eye. It outlined that her acquisition came with a promise of safety, food, and shelter until she was assigned to a new Rick. Six signatures adorned the bottom under “ _Council of Ricks_ ”. As far as she could see, this was definitely a lot better than what she initially imagined, even if she didn’t have a choice in the matter.

“Alright, but – but I-I want the portal gun back. If anything seems off, I’m gone,” she agreed tentatively.

A drawn out sigh escaped the Rick as he massaged between his eyes, “As long as you give it back once you-you’re settled at the Citadel. We don’t need a bunch of lost Mortys running around the m-multiverse losing portal guns where they can be found by just anyone, understood?” He gave her a steely look before handing over the portal gun.

Nodding, she accepted it, but glared at the, “W-Why do they always ask for it back, it’s a bureaucratic nightmare, every time,” that Rick mumbled just loud enough to make sure she heard. Morty deposited it in her dresser drawer behind her before pulling out some clothes.

“W-What is this?” Rick flung his arms forwards accusingly. “You cha – you’re FINE with what you have on! I’m not here to –urp- babysit your ass.”

Turning on the spot, Morty shook the items in her hand towards Rick, “I don’t even have a b-bra on!”

“I can see tha-ugh-t. You don’t need one, trust me.” Rick raised an unimpressed unibrow, eyes quickly scanning over her chest to the admonishing sounds of his Morty.

“Ugh!” she exclaimed, covering her chest with her clothing filled hand and flipping the bird with the other. Turning back, she resumed collecting her outfit. “I-If you want me going with you, I need to be dressed first! Now turn around.” She glanced over to look at them.

The Morty reacted immediately. Rick, however, stared challengingly back at her. “Can’t do that, sweetheart. Besides, what’s ke-eeeeugh-ping me from just shooting you and skipping this whole mess, huh?”

Narrowing her eyes she ground out, “Because I can scream really loud.”

Rick paled slightly at the image of angry family members bursting through the door, but still refused to move. “I’m not risking you m-making a – running away while our backs are turned. I-If you’re worried about your grandfather seeing you get dressed with all your disappointing teenage anatomy, then, Morty here can keep watch.”

“No,” was the adamant response as she turned to face them once again. She could see the look of genuine interest that illuminated on the other Morty’s face. Morty made sure to fix him with an acidic glare.

“Y-You know that you two are only ONE chromosome away from being the same person, right?” Rick replied dryly. He was near the end of his patience with this special snowflake of a Morty.

“I-I don’t CARE. He’s – LOOK at him!” She gestured at the other Morty. “You can practically see the eagerness at seeing a boob coming off him like some sort of – of horny miasma!”

Glancing towards his Morty, Rick grunted in agreement.

“Look,” she held up her hand, “I-I’ll just change in the closet. The portal gun is out here, and I can’t exactly run away.” Morty looked at Rick, waiting for a response.

With the nod of his head, the young girl slipped into the closet. As she went she thought she saw the other Morty’s shoulders sag in disappointment.

“ _Today is going to be a long day_ ,” she thought as she tried not to knock her bony appendages against anything and everything.

A few minutes later, she was dressed and packed, and standing anxiously in front of a green portal. Her grandfather’s portal gun was held tightly in her hand as she glanced over her shoulder to see the two waiting for her to step in. Checking once again that the gun was dialed to her home dimension, she twisted her hair in her free hand. Rick loudly cleared his throat behind her. Taking one last look at her room, she felt her heart drumming in her ears. A shaky breath escaped her as she tensed her legs.

“ _Here’s goes nothing._ ” With smell of ozone and the feeling fizzy energy on her skin, Morty jumped through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You made it! Thanks for reading~ Comment below and let me know what you think, please :)


	3. Citadel of Pricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morty heads into Citadel processing. Other Mortys are creeps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been trying to get these out weekly, but it looks like a week and a half might be closer to when I have been releasing these

A Morty wearing an immaculately pressed uniform walked down a spacious corridor to a wide and intricate set of gold doors. The scar above his left ear parted the hair enough to see a purple and pink ribbon of skin. As the sun streamed through the tall windows on either side, he took a moment to massage old wound as he hurriedly approached. It always ached when he was stressed. Looking apprehensively over his report one last time, he braced himself for the worst.

            “ _Why couldn’t Agent O-335 take care of this?_ ” he somberly wondered. “ _He ALWAYS makes me deliver the bad news… Ass_.”

            With a light rap on the expansive doors, the Morty let loose one last deep sigh as the doors opened with a rumbling groan.

            “What do you have for us today, Agent O-349?” a sharp voice echoed from across the chamber. On a high pedestal surrounded by 12 figures, its speaker looked down at the Morty with calculating eyes. Surrounded by dark red curtains, embroidered with gold and trimmed with black, the congregation looked imposing. Artificial torches surrounding the edges of the room added to the ominous atmosphere. Morty cleared his throat nervously, lowering his gaze to the polished white marble floors.

            “U-uh, General, I have an updated report on the individual E-487 apprehended a few days ago.” He shifted on his feet nervously, casting a quick glance at the lone figure. After a nod to continue, he fixed his gaze on the papers in front of him. “He was successful in eliminating his t-target, b-but…” Swallowing hard, he tried to keep his hands from shaking as he continued. “The tech that was requested could not be obtained. We’re currently trying to locate the device in the home dimension, but i-it would seem that someone in the family may have possession.” Sweat gathered at his brow as he let the papers drop from his vision.  “I stand b-before you today because… M.I. requires y-your permission to search th-the target’s household, if we are to further the investigation.”

            At that, the 12 figures murmured amongst themselves with an air of distaste. Their wide array of hairstyles vacillated as they glanced at each other.

            Shifting forwards on their chair, the lone figure issued a cold and commanding, “SILENCE!” before sitting back comfortably. They fixed O-349 with an impersonal gaze. “It is against policy to risk such exposure. I expect not only you, but your entire division, to understand the need for secrecy! To request something so foolhardy, I expect better from Intelligence.”

            Morty bowed slightly, looking emptily at the ground. “Forgive us, General.” His arms shook at his sides as his mind raced. Would he be punished?

            “Forget the tech. We can make due without it,” the General declared. At the upset murmurs of the others, they continued. “For now, your primary objective is to aid in gathering surveillance. More information will be provided in the report you’ll receive shortly. Distribute it to your team accordingly.”

            Morty let out a sigh of relief. “Y-Yes, General! Thank you! I will – I’ll work on that right away!”

            “We look forward to your findings. Dismissed!”

            Morty turned around and scurried off down the hall. Hearing the doors clang shut behind him, he wiped his brow of the thin film of accumulated sweat. O-335 owed him BIG TIME.

 

 

            Feet landing with a clatter on linoleum tile, Morty was hit by the smell not unlike that of a doctor’s office. Computers warmed the air while a Rick sat behind a chest-high desk far to the side of the room. The copious amount of chairs and ficus plants told her that this was a waiting room of sorts. She could hear an electronic singing coming from the back area of the building. After quick glance, the receptionist Rick pressed a button before waving them over. Melodious tunes drifted through the speakers overhead, signaling an arrival.

            The receptionist held out an expectant hand, “Profile disk?” Her escorting Morty retrieved the familiar circular object and handed it over. Plugging the device into the display, the Rick looked over the information provided. “C-Can you tell me the name of your dimension?” Receptionist Rick glanced at the young woman with bored eyes.

            “Um, X-216,” Morty replied shakily, still unsure if she was being tricked. This place looked about as interesting as the DMV, but who knew what dastardly secrets it held?!

          The receptionist nodded slightly, “Alright, and do you know where your Rick’s portal gun is at the moment?”

            She lifted her hand to show him the device clasped tightly in her tremoring hand. The two Ricks glanced knowingly at each other. Escort Rick shrugged, letting out a tired sigh. Receptionist Rick shook his head almost imperceptibly. A few items were selected on the screen before the Rick behind the desk looked at her again.

            “Morty of X-216, as of this moment, you accept the pr-ugghh-tection of the Council of Ricks until a new guardian is chosen for you. In doing so, you understand t-that you must remain under supervision from a Rick or Morty licensed by the Council. To never leave the Citadel without prior permission of the Council. You may keep anything you have brought with you as long as it is not a th-threat to the Citadel. You may stay in contact with your family as long as you do not dis-urrrk-uss Citadel secrets or sensitive information. You understand that you will be assigned quarters and pay corresponding to your abilities and needs. Y-you agree to relinquish your portal gun within 24 hours or less. You understand that not agreeing with one or more of the-these statements will result in cryo-stasis storage until your guardian is chosen. Unless stated otherwise by the Council, all statements must be followed without excuse. Do you accept these statements I-I have just said to you?”

            “I d-do?” she conceded, looking around cautiously, twisting her hair. A tablet and pen were promptly shoved into her face.

            “Sign here,” the Rick stated. “A more det-auhhh-led contract will be given to you upon request to any Rick or Morty that’s employed to the Rickless Morty Program. They will – You will see them wearing a badge like this.” He pointed at a small, red triangular pin on his lapel decorated with “ _RMP_ ” in gold. Morty nodded quietly in response, pen gliding swiftly over the mirrored surface as she signed.

            “ _I bet this is what being in prison feels like_ ,” she brooded. How many inmates would forgo sentences to simply be frozen for an indefinite amount of time? She shuddered. It could hardly be considered living.

            At that moment, a business-clad Morty stepped into the waiting room. His yellow short sleeved button up and dress shoes both looked worn, but he made up for them with an award winning customer service smile as he approached the teen girl. Tucking his e-clipboard under his arm, he reached out to shake her hand with both of his. Escort Rick groaned with agitation at the display. Meanwhile, his Morty looked on with a crestfallen face. He eyed their clasped hands enviously as he rubbed the growing goose egg on the side of his head.

            “W-Welcome! We, uh, are all sorry for your – that you lost your Rick,” the office Morty consoled, sweating profusely. She found her hand being shaken a little longer than she found comfortable. Prying herself away, Morty nodded her head grimly while her mouth twitched in annoyance. He laughed anxiously before gesturing towards the doorway he had come through. “I-if you’ll follow me, please?”

            After waving goodbye to her armed escorts, Morty soon found the cause of the electronic din permeating the office. A large container about the size of a bus sat idling in the next room. Green icons glowed steadily as bundles of cables wound their way to a lone console a few feet to its right. Sitting in front of it was a Rick dressed in a similar fashion, his shirt blue. Groggily sipping from a thermos, he rubbed his eyes and let out a groan. Gently taking her bag and, after a quick argument, portal gun his Morty placing them off to the side.

            “First M-Morty of the day, eh? H-Hand it over.” He motioned for the clipboard. “An X series M-Morticia, huh? Don’t g-euggh-t too many of those passing through here.” Giving her an offhanded look, his gaze betrayed a glint of interest. He entered data into the console while office apparel Morty played with some switches on the bus. “Now, we need to obt-aauuhhnn- obtain preliminary health data for your file.”

            “W-What, using THAT?” Morty queried shrewdly. It didn’t look very friendly, reminding her of a device she had seen on a Gruloc ship. Rick had taken her on a raid when they had just started their adventures. Grulocs, little grey guys with bug eyes, had primary abduction and study rights on Earth, not that she had trouble believing it. There were humans screaming, being fed into a machine as it did who knew what. She had insisted Rick free them, much to his chagrin. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, tears pricked in her eyes.

            Office Morty chuckled lightly from behind her. “I-I’m telling you, Rick, the science division needs to make these – these things look a little friendlier.”

            “And I’m telling YOU, Morty, no one wants to –urp- waste money on aesthetics. It works, d-doesn’t it?! So, shut your- shut up!” The Morty let out a tired breath. Rolling his eyes with a deep sigh, Rick focused back on the young girl. “It’s not going to hurt. Just d-diagnostics: brain scanning, vitals, blood samples, all that sh-shit.”

            As he finished talking she noticed its door slide open. Electronic arms moved around inside menacingly. The young girl took a step back, wondering if now was the time to run.

            “Urg, we don’t have TIME for you to m-make a scene! Morty!” Rick stormily called. The youth trotted over and put his hand on her shoulder to firmly, but gently, guide her over.

            “It just – It doesn’t hurt, just pinches. Prom-ooph!” A bony elbow connected with his ribs.

            “Don’t TOUCH me!” warned the teen girl. The other Morty promptly took a few steps back. Swiftly, Rick had her arms pinned behind her back as he steered her towards the door. A few seconds later, she found her arms shackled in place as she was fed into the machine.

What she saw next were only blurs. Robotic arms whirled around her: scanning, pricking, sampling. Her skin was alive with hundreds of sensations as her face and eyes were laser scanned. White blobs flashed before her eyes at the phosphorescent assault. Finally, one last arm inserted something into her right wrist. She watched as the skin stitched together once the computerized appendage retreated. Not five seconds had passed when she found herself deposited on the other side. Whirrs and clicks filled the space before a Citadel ID was spat out of one of its ports. Shoving it into her hand, Rick motioned her out and pointed her towards a tube on the other side of room. Meanwhile, his Morty returned her items, waving apologetically as she left.

            A separate group of Mortys were chatting idly in a sitting area not far off from the tube. They were dressed in the same guard uniform as her escorts. From the jumble of voices she made out “ass kicking” and “but she was so soft!”. Shaking her head, she reached the circular portal. Sitting and scooting, the teen found herself sliding down alarmingly fast only to fall onto a padded floor. More seats and office plants. A Morty wearing a baseball cap was already waiting as she clamored to her feet. Judging from the door behind him, this was the exit lobby.

            “ _Not much of a welcome_ ,” she mused. “ _Shoved into a machine, possibly micro-chipped, a fucking SLIDE? What am I, five?!_ ” Morty steamed silently as she made her way across the room.

“Do, uh, do you have your ID? You need it before y-you head outside,” he greeted, holding out his hand. Quickly remembering the item in her hand, she presented it to him.

            After a quick verification of data, a gentle smile adorned his features as he took her arm. Lightly guiding her out the door, they stepped in the depths of the Citadel Main Plaza.

            “D-Don’t worry,” he assured. “I think you’re gonna like it here.”

 

 

            Loft buildings, with the occasional squat, small one, rose up on all sides as artificial sunshine filtered between their spaces from the East. Barely any one was on the streets this early, and the quiet calm of morning saturated the air. Any other day and Morty would have thought it a beautiful morning in an enrapturing foreign place. However, whatever awe she was experiencing was quickly swept away. To her annoyance, Morty found that her new companion was not like most Mortys.

            “ _He’s a MORNING person, ugghhhhh_.” Just her luck. In the wake of the excitement, she found herself fighting back yawns every few minutes. The adrenaline was starting to wear off. Morty had no problem with morning people, usually, except when they were obscenely friendly and talkative.

Within the ten minutes of knowing him, baseball cap had revealed he was her ambassador-slash-landlord, and that he had an extreme interest in her situation. Apparently, since the news of her Rick’s passing reached the Citadel, he had accepted her case with gusto. She was a gem among stones, apparently. Fact after banal fact about her private life was spouted off without care as contempt boiled low in her stomach.

            “I can’t be-believe you’ve known your Rick since BIRTH! Most Mortys are lucky to know their Ricks for barely a year,” he talked animatedly while she shuffled sleepily behind. “So, y-you know why most Ricks with extremely deviant Mortys tend to contact their Beths sooner?” He looked over excitedly at the young girl.

            “Mm.”

            “Be-because central curve deviant Mortys are more likely to be kidnapped, or killed. It’s a way to – They’re protecting them! Even though it’s more d-dangerous for the Rick. And being around while the-their Mortys grow up – the other Ricks called them ‘soft’. They care too much about their Mortys, you know? But it-it’s actually a good thing because….”

            Her mind drifted away from the conversation as the two approached a stocky little building on the edge of a massive park. A small side yard was attached. Red, orange, and yellow seemed to be the color pallet of choice, much to Morty’s dismay. Her eyes were threatening to water. The sign above the entrance read “ _Morty Care Apts_ ”.

            “ _What apartments? It’s one story tall!_ ”

            “… and then the Council de-decided - Hey! We’re here,” the Morty gestured widely, even taking off his hat to seem more dramatic. The young girl thought she glimpsed a thin scar on the side of his head. Not really her business, she decided.

            “Where are th-the apartments, then? Is it – Do we travel through a portal, or…”

            “Oh! Heh, my b-bad. I’m just so used to it. They’re underground. Most of the Citadel is, uh, developed for Ricks, above ground, but th-the Mortys get the underground levels of the asteroid.” Observing her sour face, baseball Morty smiled warmly. “It’s not that b-bad! We get artificial sunlight and most of the time we get left alone so, uh…” He paled a little. “L-L-Let’s get you settled in before it – it gets too late in the day, ok?”

            Replacing his cap, Morty trotted up to the front door. The door swung open with a hiss as he pressed his ID to the scanner.

            “Why does the time of d-day matter?” she wondered out loud, taking in her surroundings. It was a simple room, elevators on one side, front desk on the other. Emergency stairs were at the far end. A Rick sat behind the desk, reading a magazine and chewing on a toothpick. With his feet propped up, she could see he was wearing pink socks. She giggled in amusement.

            “You-You’re a high priority Morty. Might as well be a –urgh- celebrity. C-Can’t have the riffraff interfe-urrrrh-ing, now, can we?” The Rick looked up from his magazine with a cocky smile. When she simply blinked in confusion, he continued. “Would you rather have a bunch of shady Ricks and ho-hormonal Mortys drooling over you? Y-You may be related, but according to them you have the p-auggh-rts that count, and that’s all that matters.” He winked, face a smug as ever.

The young girl couldn’t do anything but shudder at the mental image before baseball – no, landlord? She guessed that was a better descriptor – Morty stepped in front of her, sending a dagger-like glare at his Rick. “Geez, Rick, wh-what crawled up your ass and died? This is supposed to be -”

“A time for Mortys in m-mourning to feel comfort and safety,” he quoted in a mock tone. His Morty puffed up in annoyance. “I-I know how the pansy-ass mission statement y-you came up with goes, MORTY. When are you gonna tell her the – the TRUTH, huh? Or are you going to keep her ignorant up until sh-she ends up like the o–uggh-thers?”

Looking from Rick to his Morty, the teen felt an icy panic spread through her chest. “What d-does he mean?” She demanded, voice pitched low with impatience. What were they not telling her?

“He’s just a – he’s just b-being a dick. C’mon,” the young landlord practically spit out at his Rick. As the two Mortys waited for the elevators, Rick leaned over the counter.

“Enjoy it while it lasts! M-Morticias only last here a f-euugghh-w months! Just-Just start counting those days, little miss!” he hollered tauntingly. As his Morty hurriedly pulled her inside the lift, smashing the close button repeatedly, Rick’s laughter echoed manically in their ears.

Anger and fear bubbled daringly in her chest, “ _We’ll see about that!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the read! Bear with me while we get some world building in place


	4. Fame and Misfortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morticia tries to settle in, but receives some unwanted attention. Something tells her this won't be the last time!  
> [Edited for corrections]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy season 3 announcement update!
> 
> Trying to get my ass in gear, positive encouragement and reminders to work on this on my tumblr would be more than welcome. My mind is flighty as all hell!

A palpable silence lay between the two. The young landlord was blushing, ears a dark red. With twisting hands and shuffling feet, he attempted catch the other’s eye. He was hardly noticed, however, by the young woman beside him. Embroiled in her own anger, Morty’s only thoughts were of Rick. It had been a challenge, plain and simple. She wasn’t about to let that slobby old fart intimidate her!

“Uh,” he started, seeing a jolt of surprise run through the other. “Y-You alright? That was, um, some pretty heavy stuff, y’know? Rick usually – he’s an asshole, b-but…” He trailed off as the elevator slowed to a stop, the trundle of the opening doors filling the silence.

“I want to know what he meant,” she whispered firmly as they walked down the lengthy hallway. Unidentifiable stains marked the carpet. Face stony, she glanced at her alternate while he squirmed.

He laughed a little too loud, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “I-I-I guess the cat’s out of the bag!” He was suddenly very interested in the hem of his shirt. “Uh, so, we have had some… incidents?” he squeaked. As the girl narrowed her eyes, he gulped. “Mortys sometimes j-just disappear. And, well, all of the Morticias that have b-been kept on the Citadel ended up missing.” The teen shuffled his feet while they stood in front of a discolored wooden door.

Her frown deepened as she wondered the implications of this new information. Opening her mouth to question further, she was interrupted by the other. “B-But here’s your new room!” the young man forced out enthusiastically. “Pretty standard. You use y-your ID to unlock the door. Oh, and there’s a welcome package! All the Mortys on this floor pitched in to b-buy you, uh, stuff.” He blushed, but continued. “Communal bathroom that way. Uh, yeah, sorry. But th-this floor is close to…” Leaving him to ramble again, she stepped into the sadly cramped space. Musk and damp permeated the air. Paint peeled from the walls and a small port hole with simulated light sat plainly on the other end of the room. Complete with a tiny bed and even tinier closet, the depressing room was more a jail cell than a living space.

Taking the plain shoe box from her bed, the young girl peeked inside. Magazines with bare chested men and scantily clad women, some extra clothing, and a pack of toiletries were haphazardly nestled within.

“If y-you need anything else just place an order with me or Rick. We’d have to go off Citadel to get you clothes and sanitation, uh, stuff,” he blushed. She vehemently avoided the others gaze while groaning internally. If there was anyone worse than a teenage boy on the subject of feminine products…  Morty’s eyes twitched from the effort not to roll. “Me and the other Mortys w-weren’t sure how to figure out what sizes you were, b-but an extra pair of clothes are usually part of the gift.”

“I-I should be good for now,” the young woman replied, patting her bag with one hand. However, despite her discomfort, she was interested. “Couldn’t you have just gotten me the usual?” Men’s clothing was comfortable, if not cheaper, after all. The young woman doubted her size was much different.

“Oh, ah,” her alternate chuckled nervously, “we-we didn’t want to make you feel… it felt kind of weird? Rick helped out, b-but… uh.” He coughed into his hand, face a complete tomato red.

On that note, her landlord hurriedly finished up his introduction, collected the portal gun, and left her to unpack.

 

* * *

 

 

            Despite the barren nature of the room, Morty unpacked her items into some semblance of order. Clothing in the closet, toiletries on the port sill, electronics under the bed. The shoebox even made for an adequate nightstand. Oh, who was she kidding? This place was awful! It was cold and damp and the hallway smelled like a locker room. The entire place looked older than she was, and… When was the last time this place had been cleaned?

Glancing at a dark stain near the door, she shivered, “ _Best to not think about it._ ”

As she was finishing up organizing what little she had to work with, the shuffle of feet and a knock came at the door.

“ _The landlord?_ ” she wondered, stepping lightly towards the door. With a creak and a groan, the door swung open to reveal, well, she wasn’t sure. They were Mortys, but they were like medieval monks. “ _A costume party?_ ”

“Uh, hey… um-”

“Hello, my child!” the foremost of the group began, his arms gesturing widely. “We have heard the good news! To be freed of your shackles and given the chance to live a free Morty. Such a miracle, such mercy!” The other four figures chanted a quiet prayer in the background.

            “I-I… What?”

            “Freedom, sister! Freedom from the tyranny of the one who brings pain and suffering to all Mortys. The unholy one: Rick! We have come to celebrate in your glorious salvation by the will of the One True Morty!” Tilting his head back, the leader raised his voice at the mention of his deity. The others joined in, palms raised, heads tipped back.

            “Y-You’re pulling a fast one on me, aren’t you?” the girl giggled nervously. “Rick…Ricks aren’t THAT bad!”

            At her words the monks looked pained, almost pitying her. A brother from the back stepped forward beseechingly, “Sister, your deliverance is an event worthy of triumph! To not appreciate such a gift… Here.” The young girl glanced at the pamphlet, and rolled her eyes.

            “I-I-I don’t need your comics. I’m fine. Th-There’s nothing – Rick was always-”

            “You have been dealt an unfortunate hand, my child! I see now that, by his unhallowed deeds, your Rick has tempted you with his silver tongue! This is far more serious than we had first thought. My brothers!” The group huddled a short ways from her door, whispering alms.

            Morty felt an unsettling panic spark in her chest. Who were they to judge her Rick?! Her Rick was – He was – The girl’s eyes started to prick with tears. Rick. Rick who had died for her, and she couldn’t save him. Rick, who had taken her to try alien foods and listen to alien music, who taught her how to read alien symbols. Who had cheered her up whenever she came home from an awful day of school. Her best friend. _A body bag being loaded into the ambulance._ Fat tears dripped down her cheeks.

At the sight of her tears, the formation broke and cautiously shuffled towards her. “Do not cry, my sister,” the leader hushed. “Whatever injustices you have been forced to witness, the One True Morty will protect you, body and soul.”

“No th-thanks,” she wiped her eyes, crossing her arms in defiance but not meeting their gazes. “My Rick – He was – He cared about me.”

Gesturing towards another, the leader received a scroll. It unrolled to reveal a renaissance style picture of what looked like a poorly put together original character, the face resembling that of a Morty. She scoffed, trying to stop the water leaking from her eyes. Why wouldn’t they just take no for an answer?!

“If there’s one truth in all the multiverse, my child, it is that Mortys are nothing more than tools to Ricks. A Rick’s selfish desires will always take precedence over their feelings of familial duty and care.” She tried to interrupt, but the brother continued, talking over her. “The One True Morty has nothing but love and gentle kindness to bestow upon you! When he returns, all Mortys shall be FREE to live, youthful and carefree! He ails all woes, my sister. Even the false love of a Rick. You do not have to live in denial of-”

            “I-I am not in de-d-DENIAL!” she sputtered out, tears falling anew. She’d had enough! Anger pulsed like lightning under her skin, the blubbering noises of trying to speak only electifying it further. Why did she have to be an angry crier! “H-How DARE you! Y-Y-You dON’t know wh-wh-whAt he DID!” _Rick’s empty eyes stared at her as he lay on the floor._ “None of – of you know wh-whO he was or wh-wh-WHAT he meant to me! D-D-Don’t knOw ANYTH-THING!” The young woman shook with each word, spitting fire. _Feeling wet and sticky, skin raw from scrubbing._ Crocodile tears dripped from her face. The brothers didn’t move, in obvious shock.

            The lack of reaction was like water on a grease fire, Morty filled her lungs to capacity before screaming with all her might, “Fuck y-you! Get out of my face! L-L-Leave! LEAVE!” She finished off by holding a one finger salute high above her head. The priest-garbed Mortys quickly scrambled down the hall and out of sight.

            Gasping to catch her breath, she slammed the door. Kicking the bedframe repeatedly with all her might, she let out a scream. Her legs became exhausted, and in one final motion, the girl collapsed on the bed. Loud sobs echoed off the walls of the barren room. _Golden light, shards of bone, the smell of metal._ She screamed into her pillow.

 

* * *

 

The stillness of the room was deafening. Every so often, sounds echoed from beyond the door as other inhabitants shuffled around in the night. The artificial sunlight display had dimmed to a silvery glow ages ago. Mysterious stains faded into the grey blur of night. Morty laid awake, anxiety curled tight in her abdomen. Shivering in the barren jail cell of a room, the young girl squinted at the time on her phone: 4:30.

“ _Two more hours_ ,” she sighed internally. She had barely slept in the last week, woken by nightmares and kept awake by the sound of her own racing thoughts. Morty ached for Rick’s portal gun, eager to clutch the familiar item to her person if only to experience its comforting glow one more time. She needed something to do.

A deep sigh broke the silence as she hauled herself to the other side of the bed. The young woman reached for her laptop sitting on the small shoebox, still the only other furniture in the room. However, a thought struck her, and she brought the box into her lap hesitantly.

            The welcome package… In roughly two hours she was going to start her new job: “infrastructure management”.

“ _Fancy words for a sewer cleaner_ ”, Morty mused bitterly. If she wasn’t going to sleep then she might as well waste a little while looking through her gifts. I’d been obvious upon opening it that the magazines were meant for “relieving stress”. The girl flipped through them idly for a few minutes, attempting to find something that caught her eye.

“ _At least they were nice enough to give me some variety!_ ”

            To her surprise, a plastic card suddenly dropped into her lap, having been placed between the pages of a set of more seedy images. Well, half of one, she supposed. It had an irregular, sharp edge on one end, like it had been snapped in two. Triangular in shape, upon further inspection, it reflected holographic rainbows off of its surface much like a CD. Geometric patterns and shapes beveled the smooth surface on one side.

            “ _A data chip?_ ” she wondered. Despite its size, its patterns and etchings were far more intricate than anything she’d seen Rick build. Her stomach churned at the thought that maybe these magazines weren’t brand new, the card being a makeshift bookmark.

            Setting everything aside, she settled with browsing the internet for the remainder of the morning. Lack of sleep and anxiety churned restlessly in her stomach as she mentally prepared herself for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Morticia's job and new Mortys!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think~ <3


End file.
